The
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) last Wednesday
sponsored its first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride
Month program at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. despite being
embroiled in a controversial probe.

As part of the program, Acting ATF Director Kenneth Melson provided
remarks while Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) served as Wednesday's keynote
speaker.

The
celebration was in recognition of the accomplishments and contributions
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans to ATF and the nation,
and to promote awareness of the LGBT culture.

But
many believe this is merely window dressing designed to stop the continuing
scandal that resulted from an ATF operation that actually placed weapons
in the hands of Mexican
drug cartel members and Mexico's criminal population.

"Operation
Fast & Furious backfired on the Obama administration especially
the Attorney General [Eric Holder] and now an intense investigation
by Congress and non-government groups may end up inside the Oval Office,"
said political strategist Mike Baker.

"This
gay pride theme -- repeal of don't as, don't tell in the U.S. military
and celebrating gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender in the ATF
-- is an obvious play to garner favor with the progressives who can
make or break the presidency of Barack
Obama," he stated.

ATF
works to ensure sexual orientation discrimination and prejudice are
not tolerated in our workplace, said Director Melson at the celebration.

"The
ATF is an equal employment opportunity environment where effective and
equitable participation is encouraged. We are grateful that the Honorable
Rep. Frank could share his experiences with our workforce as we celebrate
diversity today," he said.

Congressman
Frank spoke about his experiences serving as an openly gay congressman
for the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts and his rise to
Democrat stalwart status. However, that rise to power included a relationship
with a male prostitute who used Frank's home as his bordello and allegations
of a sexual relationship with the head of the Fannie Mae foundation,
an organization Frank was supposed to investigate.

ATF
created its LGBT affinity group called ATF Pride with the primary goal
of ensuring equal employment opportunity and enhancing development opportunities
for LGBT employees at the agency, according to its press office.

"The
ATF has been underfire for an alleged operation that contributed to
the deaths of Americans. So what better way to appeal to the news media
-- cheerleaders of the gay movement -- than to tap into one of its pet
projects: assisting homosexuals to push their agenda,” said Mike
Baker.

The
growing scandal of Operation
Fast and Furious had Special Agent John Dodson, assigned to the
Phoenix Field Division of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives, testify last week before a congressional committee about
his concerns over having the Justice Department's Inspector General
lead the investigation into ATF agents actions during a gun smuggling
operation.

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The
House committee hearings included testimony from four Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents who offered firsthand
accounts about the controversial Operation Fast and Furious that allowed
suspects to walk away with illegally purchased guns and enter Mexico.
Two of the approximately 2,000 guns that ATF let criminals walk away
with were found at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian
Terry in December 2010.

“ATF agents have shared chilling accounts of being ordered to
stand down as criminals in Arizona walked away with guns headed for
Mexican drug cartels,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who chairs
the committee.

During S.A. Dodson's testimony, he stated, "I can see a conflict
between the Office of the OIG [Office of Department of Justice Inspector
General], yes sir, the actual individuals that are working the case,
my interaction with them since I've been interviewed by them, is that
I think they get it."

"However those two offices being who they are and how they are
aligned, there's inherently a conflict of interest. If in fact someone
at DOJ authorized this, knows about it, is as well versed as everyone
at ATF – that thereby creates the conflict with OIG," he
stressed during his testimony.

CLINTON’S
STATE DEPARTMENT HONORS GAYS

In
addition to the ATF, President Barack Obama’s Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver remarks on “The Human Rights
of LGBT People and U.S. Foreign Policy” at an event co-hosted
by the State Department and Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies
(GLIFAA), on Monday, June 27 in the Dean Acheson Auditorium at the Department
of State.

Preceding the Secretary’s remarks, Under Secretary Maria Otero
will lead a panel discussion with senior U.S. Government Officials.
The discussion topics will include the status of LGBT people around
the world and how the U.S. Government can promote the protection of
their human rights.

The
event is part of a series of LGBT Pride Month celebrations at the U.S.
Department of State, according to officials.

GLIFAA,
officially recognized by the U.S. State Department, represents lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) personnel and their families in
the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and
other foreign affairs agencies and offices in the U.S. Government.

Founded
in 1992 by fewer than a dozen employees who faced official harassment
simply because of their sexual orientation, GLIFAA continues to seek
equality and fairness for LGBT employees and their families.

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White
House spokesperson Shin Inouye issued a statement to the gay news organization
The Blade recapping the administration’s LGBT-related accomplishments.

“President
Obama is proud of the accomplishments he and his administration
have made to advance LGBT rights,” Inouye said. “Working
with Congress, we have passed and signed into law a repeal of ‘Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell’ and an inclusive hate crimes bill.

Executive
action from the president is seen as the best — if not only —
way to address the issues facing the LGBT community now that Republican
control of the U.S. House has legislative progress unlikely for at least
two years. There is even talk of the President using executive orders
to bypass the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.